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What do lions eat? Meat. This means practically any animal they can catch. However, most of their prey weighs between 50 and 300 kg (110–660 lbs). The most common animals eaten are zebras, giraffes, pigs, cape buffalo, antelope, and wildebeests.
A single lion kills about 15 large animals each year, filling out its diet with carrion and kills made by other members of the pride.
Male lions usually leave almost all of the hunting to the females, but once a kill is made, they will sometimes drive off the females and cubs in order to be the first to feed upon the prey.
Usually, several lionesses, working as a team, spread out and approach a herd from different directions. They stalk up as close as possible, using every bit of available cover before making a final charge, going for the closest individual. There is a rush and a leap. Typically, a lion kills a large animal by strangulation, biting down on its throat or, sometimes, on its nose and mouth. Small animals are killed with a bat of the paw or a quick bite to the head.
Although lions can reach a top speed of 60km/hr for short distances, their prey usually escapes (only about one stalk in six is successful).
One of the most useful lion adaptations is its ability to gorge huge quantities of flesh when a kill is available. This helps to tide it over during what may be long stretches without access to food. A lion eats as much as 40 kg (~90 lbs) in a single meal — an incredible amount of food. For comparison, an average human eats only about four pounds in a whole day. Quite an appetite.
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